Nashville Predators: How Vesey Affects Their Draft

The Nashville Predators shipped their “redheaded step-child” off to Buffalo. Let them worry about him.

When the Nashville Predators send the rights to Jimmy Vesey to the Sabres for a third round pick, they basically washed their hands of a problem. Unfortunately, he is still going to affect the Preds draft this weekend in several ways.

Whether he signs with Buffalo or not doesn’t really matter to the Predators. They would probably rather he sign in the Eastern Conference so they don’t have to see him more than a couple of times a season.

Agent: Jimmy Vesey will consider Sabres, but free agency likely https://t.co/5Zm3IJN9MP

Let’s take a look at the different ways that he will affect the Predators:

More Picks

This is kind of a no-brainer because we know that the Preds already have an extra 3rd Round choice that they received from Buffalo. More than that though is the fact that Nashville Predators GM David Poile has told us that he didn’t make a trade at last year’s deadline because he expected Vesey to come on board.

If Poile had made a trade, there is a good possibility that he may have traded a pick or two in a deal or deals at that time. So they not only have the extra pick but they may have kept a couple from not trading at the deadline. As deep as this draft is, that is a good thing.

Offense vs. Defense

We know that the Nashville Predators have lost several players in their defensive pipeline.

There is a very good chance that they will consider a Defenseman as opposed to a Forward in this draft. Not only have they lost prospects but it is going to be tough to keep all of our top four defensemen in the Expansion Draft.

We are also short one forward that we expected to have in Vesey. And it would have been one that we didn’t have to protect in the Expansion. It looks like there are some very talented forwards that should be available around the Nashville Predators choice. With that in mind, they now have to look at a forward as much or more than they would have.

Trades

Poile didn’t trade for anyone at the deadline because Vesey was coming. He didn’t and that means that we are short a talented forward. We already saw in the playoffs that forward depth is huge. It is the big thing that the Preds need for next season.

Last year there were 26 trades during the draft. There were some big names traded and eight FIrst Round Draft Picks. This season there will be more teams than ever looking to trade because of the flat Salary Cap and also because of the upcoming Expansion Draft.

David Poile will be looking for a forward either during the draft or after Free Agency. He has already said that he would prefer a trade over Free Agency. Because of Vesey though, he will need an additional forward.

Draft Day Thinking

More from Predlines

So does David Poile and the Nashville Predators shift their Draft Day thinking about taking a college player? There are a number of promising prospects that are either in a college or have committed to one. After the Vesey fiasco will they shy away from college players?

They had a similar problem with Alexander Radulov going back to the KHL after a full season with the Predators. They haven’t shied away from Russian prospects as evidenced by the drafting of Yakov Trenin and Vlad Kamenev the past couple of years.

It is a little scary that you are counting on a 17 or 18-year-old to take three or four years to make a decision on your team. We can’t believe that would sway the Preds away from choosing a talented player, though.

Check out our Prospect Reports:

Max Jones Julien Gauthier Kieffer Bellows

Dante Fabbro Riley Tufte Jake Bean

Michael McLeod Luke Kunin German Rubtsov

Charlie McAvoy Clayton Keller Lucas Johansen

Tyson Jost

Next: 10 Games You Don't Want to Miss!

It’s going to be a fun draft, we can’t wait to watch it!

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